OF trying times
by MacaroniPie
Summary: Kel is faced with choices, what does being pregnant mean? oneshot- KD


NONE OF THE CHARACTERS BELONG TO ME- oh how I wish that was true... some characters may be out of character, I apologize if they are.

"Yuki, your pregnant!" Neal shrieked in joy as Yuki allowed herself a small smile at her husband's antics. "We have to tell Kel and Dom and Shinko and Roald and Merric and Alanna…"

"Whack."

"Oww, Yuki!" as he saw his lovely Yamani Blossom snap her fan at him.

"We'll tell Kel. No one else, yet."

"Let's go," a hyperactive Neal said.

Opening the door, Neal was somewhat surprised to find the object of their previous discussion about to knock on the door, "Hey Yuki, looks like Kel beat us to it."

"Hey Neal," said the fatigued Lady Knight. "Do you mind if I talk to Yuki a moment."

"I can tell when I'm not wanted," the dramatic player flashed pouty eyes in the direction of the two ladies. "I'm going to go talk to Dom, Yuki."

Before he could include a final farewell, Kel cut him off, "Third Company left for Goldenlake this morning- Giants I think."

Seeing his best friend's distress he took off, leaving her to discuss her visible trouble to Yuki.

"What is it Kel?" A tentative Yuki asked, she was aware that whatever was wrong, it must be big because like herself, Kel grew up in the Yamani Islands where emotions were prohibited. Kel had an expression of pain, and Yuki was pretty sure it wasn't physical pain.

"I'm pregnant."

The short reply surprised Yuki, she had always thought that Kel wanted to be a mother, maybe not right away, but eventually… Letting her thoughts wonder off, "Dom's the father?" more of a statement than a question. Seeing her friend's nod she asked "then what's the problem, Kel, you both love each other, yet you won't let him marry you-"

"Yuki, don't you understand, he doesn't want to marry me. He may love me, but he doesn't want to marry me."

"Then he's an idiot. I'm calling Neal back here, you need to tell him, and I'm sure that we can figure something out."

"I don't want it to be shunned and hated just because of who its mother is."

Half an hour later.

"I'm going to kill him, that idiot."

"Neal," Yuki's stern voice cut through his fantasies.

"How far along are you Kel?"

"Three months, I think," Kel's face still showed an expression of concern.

"Kel, I didn't tell you earlier, but I think I might have a solution," waiting for her long time friend to look up from her perch on the bed.

"What is it Yuki?" somewhat exasperated with herself and with her friends'.

"I'm pregnant, I'm only about a two months along, and I'm pretty sure that Neal will have me confined to Queenscove, come with us. You'll be away from prying eyes and gossip."

"Congratulations Yuki, I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me. Yuki I'm so happy for you," she said, jumping up and hugging her friend.

"I do," a drawling voice from the couch came.

"And what would that be meathead?"

"Hormones equal mood swings."

"Would you like to repeat that?"

Five months later.

"Stop sulking Sergeant. We'll be at the palace soon enough."

"What if she doesn't love me anymore, what if she hates me. She hasn't replied to any of my letters Raoul."

"Well you can't do anything by sulking, so get your act together and ask her."

"Ask her if she loves me, or if she'll marry me?" The still depressed Dom asked his Knight Commander.

"The second."

"But what if she says no?"

"You won't know till you ask. If I hear one more word about the subject before we get to the palace, I will expect you do all my reports for the king for the rest of your lifetime."

"Yessir."

At Queenscove, a whole different scenario was playing out.

"Where is she Nealan?"

"Who, my wife, she's sitting in the living room."

"Where is Keladry!"

"I'm here my lady," a somewhat exhausted and confined to bed Kel answered, sticking her head over the back of the couch.

"And why may I ask are you hiding in Queenscove of all places!" An angry older Lady Knight replied.

"Come and look," Kel answered, pulling Alanna's hand over her stomach.

"Kel… why didn't you tell anyone, why didn't you tell me?" Said a somewhat shocked Alanna of Pirates Swoop and Olou.

"Because it's father doesn't know yet…"

"You know you're going to be going into labor pretty soon, and Dom doesn't know! Get that look of shock of your face, I know you were with him, oh let's say nine months ago, Kel."

Kel nodded dumbly, unsure how to take her hero's rant. When this said rant was interrupted by her green-eyed best friend "Alanna, you're going to end up educing her labor."

"Kel," a somewhat more calm Alanna said, "why didn't you tell Dom?"

"Because he doesn't want to marry me."

"And therefore, you are going to let this baby grow up , the bastard of a Lady Knight."

"Of course not," outraged at the suggestion, Kel sat up on the couch. "No, Neal and Yuki are going to bring it up as their own."

Taken aback, Alanna stared at her former squire, waiting for him to explain.

"Yuki's pregnant too, Kel requested that we be it's parents."

"Why do you keep calling the baby an IT!"

"Because she doesn't want to know what gender it is," a calm Yuki said, entering the room.

Two weeks later

"Raoul," growled the violet eyed woman, "why isn't your sergeant marrying my successor?"

"Because he's afraid that she doesn't love him."

"Oh really, because I have a feeling that Kel is very pregnant and very emotional, and would love to have someone other than Neal, who has his own child coming, to look after her, and seeing as I'm required by the king, I think it necessary of you to take the company down to Queenscove."

"My former-squire is pregnant, and she didn't even deign to tell me."

"No she didn't, and I didn't find out where she was until I yelled at Jon for a few weeks. So go down there and talk to her. You know her parents aren't even in the country." A furious Alanna stormed out of the office.

"We ride in an hour, we're going to Queenscove," bellowed Lord Raoul, Knight Commander of the King's Own.

Dom, sitting on his bunk, lifted his head in shock and asked "What happened my lord?"

"You tell me Masbolle," angrily answered his commander. "On the road now!"

A week later

"Damnit. Why now?" muttered a frustrated Kel. "Neal" she called.

"Are you okay Kel? Is the baby okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, but I think I'm going into labor."

"Only you would say that you're fine when you're going into labor."

"Well are you going to help me or not?"

"Well, I assume that you would like some anesthesia."

"Yeah, I would," said Kel. "Now would you help ME!"

"Oh, right! I'll be back in a minute, don't go anywhere- I don't think I can Neal"

"We're here," said an exhausted Wolset.

"Neal, why do I hear a bunch of horses in the courtyard?"

"What? Horses? No one is supposed to be coming…" Neal said, thinking- oh no. Alanna. "I'll go check it out."

Stamping out of the house, he made his way to Raoul and in a dangerously quite tone "Why are you here, may I ask my lord?"

"To see if she's doing okay of course, what sort of question is that."

"Do the rest know?" Neal asked glancing around at the men.

"No, I didn't tell anyone else."

"Damn Alanna, how could she-"

"What did you say Queenscove?"

"She's in labor, my lady," he replied, still whispering. "Dom, follow us. We might need you."

"Men," Raoul turned around to direct his troops. "Take care of the horses, I assume we'll be here for awhile, find a place to stay outside the walls- we'll catch up with you later."

"Neal, what is it?"

Without a reply Neal practically dragged Alanna into the room where Kel was. "Hi Alanna." Said a weakened Kel.

"How are you doing?"

"In pain."

"Would you like me to find a hand that you can break, I know that Raoul would love to get injured.

Opening her eyes, Kel looked at her one time heroine. "Alanna- is all of third company here?"

"Yes," answered the rarely daunted Lady Knight.

"Why Alanna, why did you have to call him here."

"Because he deserves the truth, he loves you Kel, and if he knew, he would marry you in the blink of an eye."

"But I don't want him to marry me because of the baby."

"Baby? What baby? Neal, why didn't she tell me."

"Maybe because she thought you weren't serious."

"Let me through Neal, or help me Goddess, I will kill you."

"If she doesn't want to see you, she won't."

"But what if I want to see her."

"Not your decision."

"Please, Neal. I'm begging you. Let me see Kel, please," begged a devastated Dom while pulling his hair out.

"Alanna, let him in, or he'll disturb my peace. How am I supposed to have a baby in all this racket?"

"I could just shut him up."

"That would be nice, but I don't think we should."

Walking to the door, Alanna yanked it open to find two brawling cousins. Pulling them apart, she dragged them into the room where Kel lay.

On gaining consciousness, Dom ran to his Lady Knight. "Kel," he asked hesitantly "Kel, you know I love you, and I always will, and what I said before is untrue, I just assumed that you weren't ready to get married." Pulling out a little box from his coat he continued, " I bought this for you for your birthday, but I never got a chance to give it to you."

Searching in his eyes, she looked to see if he was telling her the truth.

"Are you serious Dom?"

"Will you marry me, Keladry of Mindelan?" At that moment, Kel could feel her eyes roll back. Neal and Alanna, off to the edge of the room were surprised out of their conspiratorial attitudes when Dom yelled their names. "Something happened, what happened?"

"Get him out of here Neal," yelled the only conscious Lady Knight.

"Dom, I can't help her unless you are out of here. Raoul's outside, talk to him. I don't have time for this, I need to help Kel." And for the first time in his life, Dom felt absolutely helpless, outside the door, he slid down against the wall and put his head between his knees thinking of everything that could possibly go wrong.

Back inside the room, Neal could be hear saying "Don't die on me Kel, we've been friends for fourteen years, your baby needs you, Dom needs you, I need you, Yuki needs you. Kel this whole country needs you, you can't die on us."

"I won't Neal, let me sleep." a drugged Kel replied.

"No, you are not going to sleep."

"Alanna, quickly she's losing it."

Half an hour later, two exhausted knights, a wailing baby and a sleeping Kel later, Dom was allowed to meet his family for the first time, his former Knight Commander trailing behind him, hand ono his shoulder in case comfort be needed.

"Talk to her."

Going to sit by his Lady Knight's bed, Dom heard her whisper, "The answer is yes."

"Yes what Kel? Yes what?"

"I'll marry you."

Leaning down, Dom gently kissed her forehead, "Thank you Kel, you mean the world to me." After a moment's pause he continued "get some rest, I'll look after her."

"G'night."

The END

Thanks for reading- please review, I love advice/ constructive criticism, etc.

This idea just came out of nowhere, I know it's sort of been done before. I really wanted to have Kel die, but I just couldn't bring myself to it. Anyway, hope you enjoyed =D.


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